history and criticism

A series of essays presents a short history of jazz and examines some of its more significant figures.

An account of the jazz age and the significant musical innovations and personalities that emerged from it. Includes a bibliography and discography.

Contains twenty-three essays by Italian-American writers, including personal memoirs, analyses of Italian-American literature, and discussions by Italian-American intellectuals on aspects of their heritage.

Provides a literary analysis of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun," and features a variety of primary historical documents and commentary that offer insight into the context in which the play was written.

A companion to reading fifty works of classic literature for pleasure, providing commentary on what to look for in each book, and including notes on the best lines, what to skip, sexy parts, jokes in the text, and other interesting facts.

Discusses the history of science fiction film, focusing on storylines, conflicts, and themes from fifteen classic films including "Blade Runner," "12 Monkeys," "Metropolis," "Alphaville," and "The Matrix.".